Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for U.S. travel
New Jersey Building To Go Green
By Linda Tancs
New Jersey’s nickname is the Garden State, and so it is only fitting that, as gardens evoke green imagery, the state gets ready to christen its first environmentally-friendly public building. When solar panel construction is completed on the police station in Maplewood, New Jersey, the building is slated to be certified “green” by the U.S. Green Building Council. The Council promotes the economic, environmental and health benefits of high performance, sustainable buildings. Despite what Kermit famously said, it is easy being green after all.
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How to Find a Good Tour Company
By Linda Tancs
Granted, there hasn’t been much news lately of a tour company going belly up, stranding hundreds of passengers and stripping them of their tour and deposit monies–not to mention peace of mind. The majority of tour operators are stable and reputable, but do your homework nonetheless. Check with the Better Business Bureau in the city in which a tour company you plan on using is doing business. You can also download a list of members of the U.S. Tour Operators Association at www.ustoa.com. Each tour company member is required to carry $1 million in security in the form of a bond or letter of credit held in trust by the USTOA to reimburse travelers against the operator’s financial instability or other failures. With over $9 billion in sales volume, that’s a lot of money to look after so be sure to finish your homework.
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Carry-On Rules Vary
By Linda Tancs
Is a monkey nestled in a hat an acceptable piece of carry-on luggage? Probably not, although it’s difficult to imagine how that one got by the Peruvian authorities. This incident does call to mind nonetheless the varying interpretations of what constitutes a piece of carry-on luggage. U.S. travelers know, or expect, that a carry-on means one piece of actual luggage, plus a purse, handbag or laptop bag or even a combination of them. Don’t try that in the UK, though. The UK Department of Transportation makes clear that one piece of cabin baggage means just that–one piece. A handbag can be stored within that one piece of baggage. The rules apply to flights departing from or transferring through the UK. So be warned, and watch out for those flying monkeys.
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Bridge Ratings
By Linda Tancs
In light of the tragedy of the Minneapolis bridge collapse, the safety of U.S. bridges is paramount on everyone’s mind these days. So how safe are these bridges? A review of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics Web site shows that the biggest loser in bridge safety is Oklahoma, with 27% of its bridges labelled as “structurally deficient.” And what does “structurally deficient” mean, you ask? Well, the Federal Highway Administration, 2006 Conditions and Performance Report defines “structurally deficient” as the result of an analysis of a bridge’s ratings according to its deck, superstructure and substructure, the highest rating being a 9. So what does your state’s report card look like? Ask your legislators.
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The Frontiers of Alaska
By Linda Tancs
In this week’s edition of Travelrific Travel Show, the topic is Alaska. Experience the thunderous calving of some of the world’s greatest glaciers or take a stroll through the quiet and quaint historic gold rush towns. There’s something for everyone. Find out more at www.travelrificradio.com.
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Do You Have Any Grey Poupon?
By Linda Tancs
Alright, all you mustard worshippers out there. How do you plan on celebrating National Mustard Day on Saturday? Why not hop on over to Mount Horeb, Wisconsin for the annual mustard festival. You can tour the mustard museum (sporting more varieties than you probably ever imagined) and yes, perhaps enjoy a ham sandwich (with mustard, of course) in the presence of her royal highness the Duchess of Mustard. So enjoy the day, and here’s mustard in your eye.
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Use of Cell Phones During U.S. Flights is Scrapped
By Linda Tancs
The FCC has abandoned its plans to initiate the use of cell phones during commercial flights in the U.S. But don’t put away those cell phones just yet. European regulators just might green-light the idea after airlines finish testing for interference. Why the difference in philosophy? Undoubtedly it has something to do with the mobile phone culture in Europe, about a billion or so users strong. How’s that for market penetration?
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Proposed Change in Overbooked Flights Comp Rule
By Linda Tancs
For the first time in 30 years, the U.S. Dept. of Transportation is considering upping the ante on compensation for stranded passengers. Current rules allow for compensation up to $200 for domestic flights delayed up to 2 hours and international flights delayed up to 4 hours. For delays past 2 hours and 4 hours, respectively, the ante is raised to $400.
Of course, these amounts are not indexed for inflation. That’s why one of the proposals on the table is to increase the $200 cap to $624 and the $400 cap to $1248. There are other proposals as well, such as eliminating all compensation limits and using the ticket’s value as a guide. What say you? Weigh in with your two cents by September 10, 2007. Go to http://dms.dot.gov and plug in docket number OST-01-9325-4 to read all of the proposals and instructions for public comment.
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The Treasures of St. Augustine, Florida
By Linda Tancs
In this week’s edition of the podcast Travelrific Travel Show, the topic is St. Augustine, Florida. Trace the footsteps of Ponce de Leon in search of eternal youth and discover the treasures of America’s oldest city. Visit www.travelrificradio.com.
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A Walker’s Guide to Charleston, South Carolina
By Linda Tancs
In this week’s edition of the podcast Travelrific Travel Show, the topic is Charleston, South Carolina. Tune in for a streetwise guide to this classy, southern city. Visit www.travelrificradio.com.
